Automatic regulator for steam-generators.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904;

I. T. BANKS. AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR STEAM GENERATORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4,1904.

4 m ,7 Z a 4 a N0 MQDEL.

UNTTnn STATES Patented September 2'7, 1904.

ATENT ISAAC THOMPSON DANKS, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMESPORTEOUS, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR STEAM-GENERATORS- SPEGIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 770,893, dated September 27, 1904:.

Application filed May 4, 190 1. Serial No. 206,326- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, ISAAC THOMPSON DANKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fresno, county of Fresno, State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Regulators forSteam-Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of steamgenerators especiallyintended for distributing steam through buildings, and particularly tomeans for automatically regulating the operation of said generatorswhereby they may be left unattended with comparative safety.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means forautomatically controlling and regulating the supply of the heatingmedium to the generator.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement, and combination of parts which I shall hereinafter fullydescribe.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the figure is an elevation of myapparatus, showing a general assemblage of all the parts.

1 is a boiler of any suitable character in which steam is generated forany purposeas, for example, for distribution through the heating systemof a building.

2 indicates a hydrocarbon-burner of any suitable construction adapted tofurnish the heat to the furnace 3 of the generator 1.

4 is a reservoir or tank to contain the liquid hydrocarbon, such ascrude oil, to supply the burner 2. The oil is fed to the burner from thetank through a pipe 5.

6 is a tank or reservoir for compressed air.

The air serves a double purpose, first, to feed the oil by pressurethereon through a pipe 7, and, second, to supply the burner with thenecessary air to form, with the oil, the combustible mixture, saidsupply being effected through the pipe 8.

To render the heat-supply continuous and automatic and to guard againstthe consequences of an unexpectedstoppage of the initial power, thereare three features of regulation, as follows: first, the compression ofthe air and its pressure regulation; second, the 5 control of theoil-feed according to the steampressure in the generator, and, third,the positive cutting off of the oil-feed in case of a cessation ofburner action. These will now be taken up in the order stated.

9 is an air-pump which through a pipe 10 compresses air in the tank 6.The pump is operated by a connecting-rod 11 from a crank 12 on the shaft13, driven by a pulley 14, which is driven by a belt 15 from theelectric motor 16. Aswitch 17 with suitable circuit-wires 18, starts andstops the motor. In order to shut the current off when the pressure inthe tank is too high, I have the cutout-switch 19 included in thecircuit 18. This 5 switch is operated by a link 20, connectingit with alever 21, which is pivoted at one end to a standard 22. Apressure-regulator of any suitable diaphragm or other type (indicated by23) receives a pipe 24 from the air-tank 7 6 and has its diaphragm-stem25 connected with the lever 21. The weight 26, adj ustably mounted onthe lever 21, holds the cut-out switch 19 closed and variably controlsby its position the pressure required to open said switch and cut offthe current. In order to open the switch quickly under an excess ofair-pressure, I have connected with the free end of lever 21 .abell-crank 27, which carries the arm 28 with an adjustable weight 29.When the lever 21 is lifted by the air-pressure, it will throw theweight over the center, and the latter will thereby complete the liftingof said lever to suddenly open the switch 19. When the air-pressurefalls again, the 5 weight 26 will close the switch 19, and the motor 16being again started will operate the air-pump.

30 is a valve in the oil-pipe5 to control the feed of oil to the burner2. This valve has a 9 handle 31, which is connected by a link 32 with alever 33, pivoted at 3 1 and carrying an adjustable weight 35, thenormal effect of whichis to hold the valve 30 open.

36 is a pressure-regulator, the diaphragmstem 37 of which is connectedwith the lever 33.

A pipe 38 from the steam-space of the generator 1 enters the regulator36 on the upper side of the diaphragm. When the pressure of steam in thegenerator rises beyond the limit intended, said pressure will depressthe lever 33 and through the link 32 will turn the valve 30 toward aclosed position. WVhen the excess of steam-pressure is relieved,theweight 35 will open the valve again. If for any reason the electricpower should be stopped for a length of time sufficient to permit theair in tank 6 to be exhausted and thereby stop the burner action, sothat its flame is extenguished, it is obvious that upon a resumption ofthe power and no one in attendance to relight the burner the oil in tank1 would be forced by the air through the burner and flood the furnace.To provide for this contingency, I have in the oil-feed pipe 5 a cutoutvalve 39, which is operated by a bellcrank handle 40, one arm of whichcarries a weight 41 and the other arm of which is connected by a link 12with the lever 33. The connection of said link with the valve-handle 4:0is by means of an elongated slot 13 at the lower end of the link, whichconnection gives enough play to the lever 33 to enable it to control themain feed-valve 30, as heretofore described; but when the steam-pressureis entirely gone by the cessation of the burner action under thecontingency mentioned the weight 35 will depress the link 42sufficiently to cause it to close the cut-out valve 39 against anyresumption of the oil-feed, and the weight 11 will keep it closed. Undernormal operation the weight 41 will hold the Valve 39 open. If it bedesired to feed steam to the burner, either alone or in conjunction withair, there is a pipe 4A leading from the pipe 38 to the pipe 8, saidpipe 44: being controlled by a hand-valve 45. The air-pipe 8 iscontrolled by a hand-valve 46, and the pipe 5 from the oil-tank to theburner is controlled by a hand-valve 47.

The operation of the device is as follows: The motor 16 being startedfrom the switch 17 air is forced by the pump 9 into tank 6. Through pipe7 the air forces the oil from tank 4 through pipe 5 (the valves 39 and30 being open) to the burner 2. At the same time the air passes throughpipe 8 to the burner. The mixture being ignited at the burner, steam isgenerated in boiler 1, from which it is distributed to its destinations.If the air-pressure in tank 6 rises above the requirements, the motor 16will be cut out by the switch 19. When the pressure is reduced to thelimit set, the motor will be thrown in again by the switch 19. If thesteam-pres sure in the generator rises above the limit, the valve 30will be operated to reduce the supply of oil to the burner, therebyreducing the heat. When the steam-pressure lowers, the weight 35 willopen the valve 30 again. If the steam-pressure is reduced to nothing bythe extinguishment of the flame at the burner, the cut-out valve 39willv be, closed against an unintended resumption of oil-feed. Thus thewhole device can be safely left to its own automatic regulation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a steam-generator and a hydrocarbon-burner fittedthereto, a source of oil-fuel having a feed connection with the burner,asource of elastic fluid under pressure having a communication with theburner, and also a second communication with the source of oilfuel tofeed said fuel to the burner, and means dependent on the pressure of theelastic fluid in its source for controlling the supply theretocomprising an air-pump, an electric motor and connections for drivingthe pump, a cut-out switch for the motor, a pressure-regulatorcommunicating with the source of compressed fluid and connections fromsaid regulator to operate said switch.

2. In combination with a steam-generator and a hydrocarbon-burner fittedthereto, a source of oil-fuel having a feed connection with the burner,a source of elastic fluid under pressure having a communication with theburner, and also a second communication with the source of oil-fuel tofeed said fuel to the burner, and means dependent on the pressure of theelastic fluid in its source for controlling the supply theretocomprising an air-pump, an electric motor and connections for drivingthe pump, a cut-out switch for the motor, a pressure-regulatorcommunicating with the source of compressed fluid and connections fromsaid regulator to operate said switch, a valve controlling the oil-feedconnection, and means dependent on the steam-pressure in the generatorfor controlling said valve.

3. In combination with a steam-generator and a hydrocarbon-burner fittedthereto, a source of oil-fuel having a feed connection with the burner,a source of elastic fluid under pressure having a communication with theburner and also a second communication with the source of oil-fuel tofeed said fuel to the burner, a cut-off valve in the oil-feed connectionand means dependent upon the absence of steam-pressure in the generatorfor closing said valve to shut off the oil-feed.

4. In combination with a steam-generator and a hydrocarbon-burner fittedthereto, a source of oil-fuel having a feed connection with the burner,a source of elastic fluid under pressure having a communication with theburner and also a second communication with the source of oil-fuel tofeed said fuel to the burner, a valve controlling the oil-feedconnection, means dependent on the steam-pressure in the generator forcontrolling said valve, a second valve in the oil-feed connection andmeans dependent upon the absence of steampressure in the generator forclosing said valve to shut off the oil-feed.

5. In combination with a steam-generator meeting said lever with thecontrolling-valve, and a hydrocarbon-burner fitted thereto, a and theslotted link connecting the lever with source of oil-fuel having a feedconnection the cut-off valve substantially as described.

M. K. HARRIS, L. B. HAYBRUSH.

space in the generator, the pivoted weighted lever operated by saidregulator, the link conwith the burner, a valve controlling said con- Inwitness whereof I have hereunto set my 5 nection, a second valve forcutting ofi the feed hand.

in said connection. and the means for operat- ISAAC THOMPSON DANKS.

ing said valves consisting of the pressure-regulator having acommunication with the steami Witnesses:

